The carrying of articles such as tools or a gun by a workman or a security guard is relatively common these days. The device for carrying the article such as a tool or a gun generally is called a holster and usually is affixed t the waist belt of the individual carrying the article or in the case of guns, by strapping or belts about one's chest and shoulder. This invention relates specifically to holsters affixed to the wearer's belt about his or her waistline. In particular, it relates to a holster which may be removed from one's person without unbuckling the belt and removing it from the belt loops.
Currently, holsters are generally affixed to a waist belt by means of a loop permanently affixed to the holster. In order to position the holster on the belt one must unbuckle the belt, remove it from at least some of the belt loops on the trousers and insert the belt through the loop on the back of the holster and then rethread the belt through the trouser loop. In certain instances a fitting can be affixed to the belt which in turn will be formed so that the holster can be snapped or in some manner affixed to that fitting. Military holsters of years past utilized a web belt having grommet holes therein. The holster was then affixed to the grommet holes but was not readily removable from the webbed belt. Finally, it is not uncommon to use a separate leather belt worn over the trouser belt with the holster mounted on the outer belt.
The problem with existing holsters arises when the wearer sits down particularly in an automobile. At that point the holster will not only interfere with movement of the individual in the seat but can become uncomfortable over a prolonged period of time.
Accordingly, it is a first object of this invention to provide a holster which is readily removable from one's belt and may be replaced thereon without unbuckling the belt or removing the belt from one's belt loops.
Further, the extraction of the article carried in the holster be it a gun or a tool, becomes somewhat difficult when the article must be secured in the holster by some means. Conventionally, this is done with a flap that forms a portion of the holster passing over the top of the article and then down along the outside of the holster to snap to the outer surface of the holster. This traditional method of securing the gun or tool in a holster has in some cases, been modified to a strap or the like, passing over the article and usually affixed at one end to the holster and then removably affixed at the other end on the outside of the holster by a snap or some sort of a button or the like. The objection to this type of fixture is that some times it is difficult to remove the article rapidly from the holster simply because the strap must first be undone usually in an awkward fashion. In some instances the user wishes to undo the strap with the downward motion of the hand to withdraw the article whereas in other instances, the user wishes to undo the strap on the upward motion which is subsequently combined with withdrawal of the article.
Accordingly, it is a second object of this invention to provide hold down strap means which may be disassociated one from the other by either a downward or an upward motion of the user's hands.
It is a further object of this invention to provide the quickly removable holster along with the convertible strap means.
Broadly stated, the invention is a holster assembly for use by a clothed person consisting of a semi-rigid pouch having an enlarged open upward end and a smaller lower end. The pouch is formed to receive an article in its enlarged open upper end. A rigid retainer is affixed to one side of the pouch for removably affixing the pouch to an article of clothing worn by the person. A separable strap is included comprising a first piece and a second piece. The first piece is removably fixable to the retainer while the second piece is removably fixable to the semi-rigid pouch. The first and second pieces are affixable one to the other when respectively fixed to the retainer and to the semi-rigid pouch whereby the article is retained in the semi-rigid pouch.